Film splicer

ABSTRACT

A film splicer in which two film sections with their ends overlapping each other are clamped upon a swivel plate at both sides of a U-shaped cutting lever by means of two clamp slides each having a clamping arm which is first pivoted upwardly by one finger and released after being shifted in this lifted position over one film section so as to clamp the latter upon the swivel plate without scraping the film surface. The cutting lever is then pivoted downwardly, but shortly before its cutting blade engages with the film, a resilient depressor lever which is located between the lateral arms of the cutting lever presses tightly upon the overlapping film ends closely adjacent to both lateral sides of the blade. After the cut-off ends of the two film sections are removed, a part of an adhesive tape is applied upon one side of the abutting end portions of the film sections, whereupon the swivel plate with the film sections clamped thereon is pivoted over and the other part of the tape is folded 180* to the other, now upper side of the film end portions and is pressed thereon.

United States Patent 1 1 Wiirker 1 Jan. 9, 1973 s41 FILM SPLICER 75 Inventor: Carl 11. Wiirker, D7239 jg 'g g g y g g g zf Alstalg/Blackforest Germany Attorney-Roylance, Abrams, Berdo and Kaul [22] Filed: June 16, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 153,621 [57] ABSTRACT A film splicer in which two film sections with their ends overlapping each other are clamped upon a [30] Foregn Application Priority Data swivel plate at both sides of a U-shaped cutting lever June 18, 1970 Germany ..P 20 30 015.6 by means of two clamp slides each having a clamping arm which is first pivoted upwardly by one finger and [52] U.S. Cl ..83/375, 83/411 R, 83/421, released after being shifted in this lifted position over 83/607, 83/685, 83/925 R, 156/159, 156/505 one film section so as to clamp the latter upon the [51] Int. Cl ..B26d 5/42, B65h 69/06, 603d 15/04 swivel plate without scraping the film surface. The [58] Field of Search ..l56/505, 157, 159; 83/607, cutting lever is then pivoted downwardly, but shortly 83/609, 401, 410, 411 R before its cutting blade engages with the film, a v resilient depressor lever which is located between the [56] References Cited lateral arms of the cutting lever presses tightly upon the overlapping film ends closely adjacent to both UNITED STATES PATENTS lateral sides of the blade. After the cut-off ends Of the 3,136,678 6/1964 Herzig ..156/157 x film Swim are rammed a Part adhesive 3,167,466 1/1965 Lapersonne ..156/505 tape is pp p one e of the abu tlllg end et- 3,233,489 2/1966. Quarve ..156/505 x tions of the film Sections, whereupon the Swivel 1. 3,382,131 5/1968 Morganroth ..156 505 with the film s n mp t n is pivoted over 3,434,907 3/1969 Philippiet al. ..156/505 and the other part of the tape is folded 180 to the 3,450,589 6/1969 Jorgensen ..156/505 other, now upper side of the film end portions and is 3,5l0,384 5/1970 Quarve ..156/505 pressed thereon. 3,533,885 10/1970 Gustafson ..156/505 3,546,046 12/1970 MacOueston ..156/505 l8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures FILM SPLICER The present invention relates to improvements in film splicers and more particularly to a device for cutting and splicing the ends of two sections of a motion picture film. This device comprises a pair of clamp slides which are associated with the two film sections, a pivotable hold-down member or depressor for the end of at least one film section, and a cutting lever which carries a cutting blade and is pivotable between the clamp slides about the same axis about which the depressor is pivotable.

The U.S. Pat. No. 1,981,332 discloses a film splicer for splicing together two overlapping ends of a film. This splicer is provided with two flat clamp slides which are slidable in lateral guides and are bent upwardly on one end so as to form handles to permit the slides to be shifted. At one side of the cutting lever, a presser lever is mounted so as to be pivotable independently of the cutting lever but about the same axis about which the cutting lever is pivotable, and it is also slidable along this axis to different distances from the cutting lever. This presser lever serves for holding one section of the film in a fixed position while being cut and also for scraping off the emulsion of the film and for pressing the overlapping film ends together after a layer of cement has been applied upon one film end. The cutting lever is made of a flat steel strip and a central part of its length is bent toward one side of its front and rear parts, and the lateral edges of this central part serve as a pair of cutting edges which are spaced so far from each other that a relatively wide strip is cut out of the film. One film end is then shifted toward and above the other and both ends are then cemented on top of each other, thus forming a double film thickness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a film splicer which is adapted to secure the ends of two film sections in abutting positions to each other by means ofa small tab of a perforated adhesive tape, and which is provided with means for cutting two film sections very accurately by a single cut in only one position, and with means for holding the two film sections in a very accurate position until they have been securely taped together on both sides by means of the adhesive tape.

For attaining this object, it is one feature of the present invention to provide the splicer with a U- shaped swivel plate which is pivotable about an axis extending parallel to the plane of the plate, and to provide a pair of clamp slides on this swivel plate which are pivotable to an open and closed position and are also slidable in a direction substantially at a right angle to the film sections to be cut and spliced. Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of at least one hold-down member or depressor which is operatively associated with a cutting lever. Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of very simple means for accurately guiding the cutting blade of the cutting lever at least during the cutting operation.

The swivel plate together with the two clamp slides permits the film sections to be cut so that their ends will substantially abut against each other and then to secure them in this position to each other on both sides by means of a short piece of an adhesive tape. By being pivotable as well as slidable, the two clamp slides will not scrape or damage the film sections, and by being tions are taped together first on one side and then on the other by means of the same piece of adhesive tape.

By pressing down upon and holding the film sections in a fixed position closely adjacent to the line along which the ends of the sections are to be cut and while they are being cut, these ends will be cut off very accurately by a single straight cut which is also insured by the manner of mounting the cutting lever so as not to be slidable along its pivot axis, and by the further provision of means for guiding the cutting blade of this lever so as to be movable exactly vertically to the longitudinal axis of the film. After the ends of the two film sections are taped together, these ends neither overlap each other nor are they separated from each other by any noticeable gap.

As previously indicated, each of the two clamp slides comprises a leverlike clamping member which is slidable along the swivel plate and also pivotable relative to this plate. This clamping member is acted upon by a spring which tends to hold the member in its clamping position. These clamp slides are of a very simple construction, may be easily manipulated, and hold the film sections securely in a fixed position. By providing the upper side of one arm of this clamping lever with a downwardly curved surface which is provided with serrations or the like, the lever may be easily shifted by one finger of the operator of the splicer in one direction or the other without danger that the finger may slip off this clamping lever.

The swivel plate may be pivotably mounted on a base which is provided with recesses for receiving the parts of the clamp slides projecting from the opposite sides of the swivel plate when this plate is pivoted to either of its end positions. For insuring that the swivel plate will rest in either of these positions uniformly and securely on the respective parts of the base, the bearing parts of the swivel plate are mounted with a sufficient play, preferably by elongated bearing holes, on bearing brackets which are secured to the base and are adjustable in the direction of the pivot axis of this plate.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the base is provided with a part which is inclined toward the cutting blade so as to guide the blade at the beginning of its cutting movement and prior to its actual cutting stroke to its desired position in the event that the cutting blade might slightly deviate from this position. This insures that the cutting blade will cut'the film exactly at a right angle to its longitudinal axis and in an exactly predetermined position.

For further improving the accuracy of the cut through the ends of the film sections and for insuring that the cut will be carried out practically without leaving any gap between the adjacent cut ends of the film sections, it is another feature of the invention to provide a fixed cutting plate with a sharp cutting edge which is associated with the cutting blade of the cutting lever and mounted on the base above a vertical slot in this base, and to provide the base at the other side of this slot with an upper surface which has the same level as the upper surface of the cutting plate and has an edge which is rounded and tapering downwardly toward the slot. Due to this rounded and tapering edge opposite to the cutting edge of the fixed cutting plate, the film will be out only along the edge of this cutting plate, while the directly adjacent part of the film will bend downwardly during the cutting operation. Consequently, the actual cut will only be carried out by one lateral cutting edge of the blade of the cutting lever along the cutting edge of the fixed cutting plate rather than by both lateral edges of the blade of the cutting lever, and therefore no gap will be formed between the cut edges of the two film sections.

These and additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically a film cutter and splicer according to the invention which permits two butt-jointed film ends to be glued together by means of a perforated adhesive film tab, and in which FIG. 1 shows a top view of the film splicer in one operating position;

FIG. 2 shows a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section which is taken along the line lll III ofFIG. 1; 7

FIG. 4 shows a detail view of a part as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows another top view of the film splicer in another operating position;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section which is taken along the line VI VI of FIG. lthrough several parts of the splicer;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of parts of the splicer in the position as illustrated in FIG. 5; while FIG. 8 shows a cross section similar to FIG. 6 of a modification of the clamp slide and swivel plate of the splicer.

As illustrated in the drawings, the splicer according to the invention comprises a base 21 on which a swivel plate 22 which has a U-shape as seen from above in FIGS. 1 and 5 is pivotably mounted on pivot pins 23 and 23a which project outwardly from the upright arms of a pair of angular bearing brackets 46 which may be adjustable in the axial direction of pins 23 and 23a by means of screws which extend through elongated holes in the horizontal arms of these brackets and are secured in bores in an elevated part of base 21. As may be seen especially in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper surfaces of base 21 have different elevations as seen in its longitudinal and transverse directions, although both sides of the base at the left and right from a central vertical longitudinal plane are substantially symmetrical to each other. Thus, bearing brackets 46 and 46a are mounted in a grooved part of base 21 which has a lower level than the surfaces of the adjacent parts in front and behind this part and these two parts are likewise of different levels. The common axis of pivot pins 23 and 23a is offset from the plane of swivel plate 22 so that, when the latter is pivoted forwardly or toward the rear to its horizontalend positions, it will be located at different levels or planes. The pivot bores 48 of swivel plate 22 are provided in lateral arms or edge portions 47 of the latter which are bent at a right angle to the plane of plate 22 and, when this plate is pivoted to the position as shown in FIG. 1, engage into slot-shaped recesses 71 and 71a in base 21. For insuring that in either of its horizontal end positions swivel plate 22 will rest securely on the respective upper surfaces of base 21, the pivot bores 48 in the lateral arms 47' of plate 22 are preferably of an elongated shape, as shown particularly in FIG. 6. Aside from securing swivel plate 22 in its proper axial position by an adjustment of the bearing brackets 46 and 46a, base 21 may be additionally provided with a centering pin 24 which is adapted to engage into a bore 24a in swivel plate 22 when the latter is pivoted toward its rear horizontal position, and which insures that plate 22 will be very accurately fixed in this position.

For holding the ends of the film sections in a very accurate position relative to each other on swivel plate 22 while the cutting operation is carried out, one flat side of plate 22 is further provided with two pairs of upwardly projecting positioning pins 25, 26 and 25a, 26a, respectively, which are adapted to extend through the usual marginal perforations in the two film sections. Between these two pairs of pins another pair of positioning pins 35 and 35a project upwardly from base 21. These pins serve for holding a small strip of an adhesive tape, not shown, in an accurate position by means of which the two film sections after being out are to be secured to each other in a manner as subsequently described. For resiliently clamping each film section in the required position on swivel plate 22 and without scratching the film surfaces, a resilient clamp slide 49 or 49a, respectively, is further provided on the side of swivel plate 22 which carries the positioning pins 25, 26, 25a and 26a. Clamp slide 49 is slidable in its longitudinal direction between pins 25 and 26 and clamp slide 49a between pins 250 and 26a, that is, in a direction substantially at a right angle to a straight'line connecting all of these pins on plate 22. As shown particularly in FIG. 6, each clamp slide 49 and 49a comprises a slide member 35b which is slidable along the upper surface of swivel plate 22 and has a central projection 36 extending through and slidable along a longitudinal slot in plate 22. At the other or back side of plate 22, this projection 36 projects into a box-shaped guide member 37 which is secured, for example, by a screw 38, to the slide member 3512 and is slidable together with slide member 35 along plate 22, but on the back side of the latter.

On its upper or front side, slide member 35b has a bearing projection 39 on which a clamping lever 40 is pivotably mounted the longer arm of which is acted upon by one end of a coil spring 42 which passes through a bore in slide member 35b and the other end of which engages upon the inner bottom of guide member 37. This spring 42 tends to press the shorter arm of clamping lever 40 upon swivel plate-22 and serves for pressing this arm upon a film strip, not shown, for holding the latter in a fixed position on plate 22. For easily shifting each clamp slide 49 or 49a in its longitudinal direction along swivel plate 22 by means of a single finger, the upper side of its longer arm is inwardly curved and provided with finger-holding serrations or the like. For receiving the clamp slides 49 and 49a when swivel plate 22 is pivoted to its other horizontal position as shown in FIG. 5, base 21 is provided with a pair of recesses 31 and 31a, as shown in FIG. 1, and for receiving the guide members 37 and 37a when swivel plate is pivoted to its cutting position, base 21 is provided with another pair of recesses 50 and 500, as

shown in FIG. 5. All of these recesses 31, 31a and 50, 50a have a length so that their walls will not interfere with any parts of clamp slides 49 and 49a regardless of the position to which the latter are shifted longitudinally on plate 22. Swivel plate 22 as well as base 21 are further provided with centering bores 51, 51a and 51b, 51c, respectively. The associated centering bores in plate 22 and base 21 serve for adjusting bearing brackets 46 and 46a so that the positioning pins 25, 26, 25a and 26a on swivel plate 22 will be in the proper positions relative to the positioning pins and 35a.

Between the centering bores 51 and 51a in base 21 a plate-shaped cutting blade 32 is secured in a fixed position on this base, for example, by means of screws the heads of which are located in recesses in the bottom side of base 21 and which extend through the base into this blade 32. The edge of this cutting plate 32 facing and parallel to the longitudinal central plane of base 21 forms a straight cutting edge the rear end of which is inclined toward the left to form a guide edge 52 leading toward this cutting edge. Opposite to the cutting edge of plate 32 and separated therefrom by a slot 53 which extends into base 21, the latter has an oblong projection the upper surfaceof which is exactly level with that of plate 32. A part 54 of the left edge of this projection facing the straight cutting edge of plate 32 is rounded and tapering downwardly toward the opposite side of slot 53. Swivel plate 22 is provided with a large central cutout into which cutting plate 31 and the last-mentioned projection of base 21 project when swivel plate 22 is pivoted to the cutting position as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, the upper surfaces of swivel plate 22, of plate 32, of the adjacent projection of base 21 and ofa pair of lateral guide projections on base 21 adjacent to the slots 71 and 71a together form a substantially level surface.,The positioning pin 35 projects upwardly from base 21 through a recess in plate 32 and above the upper surface of the latter, while the positioning pin 35a projects upwardly from the mentioned projection of base 21 at the right side of plate 32.

At the rear of recesses and 50a, base 21 carries a U-shaped bearing bracket 55 which is secured by screws 56 to the base. On the upwardly projecting arms of this bracket 55 and between these arms a film cutting lever 57 is pivotably mounted on a pivot pin 58 the ends of which are provided with rivet heads. This cutting lever 57 which is practically immovable in lateral directions between the arms of bracket 55 and has a U-shaped cross section with the exception of its free end which serves as a manipulating handle carries a cutting blade 34 which is secured to an angular bracket 59 and has a cutting edge which, as shown in FIG. 7, extends at such an oblique angle to the longitudinal direction of the central web of cutting lever 57 that the end of blade 34 facing the free end of lever 57 is shorter or lower than its other end so that, when lever 57 is pivoted from the position as shown in FIG. 5 toward the position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the higher rear end of blade 34 will first approach and engage with the inclined guide edge 52 of the fixed cutting plate 32 on base 21. During the cutting operation, blade 34 may enter the slot 53. Due to the tapered shape of edge 54, the end of the film section at the right side of the fixed cutting plate 32 as shown in FIG. 5 may then follow the movement of blade 34 without being excessively stretched.

Cutting lever 57 is further provided at both sides of blade 34 with a pair of flat hold-down members or depressors 60 and 600 which are integral with and pro-' ject inwardly toward each other from the lateral arms 63 of a connecting bracket 61. The rear part of this bracket 61 has a U-shaped cross section the open side of which faces the central web or back of cutting lever 57, and the rear ends of the lateral arms of bracket 61 are mounted on pivot pin 58 between the lateral arms of lever 57 and are pivotable on this pin 58 together with lever 57 and also independently of this lever. In order to attain a proper engagement of the depressors 60 and 60a at both sides of slot 53 upon the upper surface of the film ends which are held by the positioning pins 25, 26, 25a and 26a and by the clamp slides 49 and 490, the bearing bores 62 in the lateral arms of the connecting bracket 61 are elongated as shown in FIG. 4. The left lateral arm 63 of this bracket from which the depressor 60 projects is extended beyond the length of the right arm 63 carrying the other depressor 60a and the end of this extension carries a pin or screw which extends through and is movable along an elongated hole 64 in the left arm of cutting lever 57 and is prevented from sliding out of this hole 64 by a spring ring 65 which is snapped into an annular groove in this pin at the outer side of the left arm of lever 57. The ends of the elongated hole 64 also limit the extent of the pivoting movements of the connecting bracket 61 and thus also of the depressors 60 and 60a. When the depressors 60 and 60a press the film upon the upper surfaces of the fixed cutting plate 32 and of the projection of base 21 at the right side of plate 32 and carrying the positioning pin 35a, the upper end of the elongated hole 64 also serves as a stop for limiting the downward movement of blade 34 into slot 53 after the film has been cut. By means of screws 66, one end of a leaf spring 67 is secured to the connecting web of the U- shaped part of the connecting bracket 61 and its other end presses against the connecting web or back of cutting lever 57 and tends to hold the depressors 60 and 60a spaced from lever 57 and from the level of the cutting edge of blade 34 so that, when lever 57 is pivoted downwardly to the position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the depressors 60 and 60a will be resiliently pressed upon the film before the cutting edge of blade 34 will touch the film.

Near its four outer corners, base 21 is provided with bores 70 through which screws may be inserted for securing the base upon asupport, not shown. The small recesses 72, 73, 72a and 73a in base 21, as shown in FIG. 1 are provided for receiving the positioning pins 25, 26, 25a and 26a, respectively, when swivel plate 22 is pivoted to the position as shown in FIG. 5. A projection 74 on base 21 serves for lifting an adhesive strip (not shown) when swivel plate 22 is pivoted to the position as shown in FIG. 5.

When by the operation of the splicer two film sections are to be butt-jointed to each other, the operator of the splicer first checks that the cutting lever 57 is pivoted toward the rear to the position as shown in FIG. 5, that swivel plate 22 is likewise pivoted toward the rear to the position as shown in FIG. 1, and that the two clamp slides 49 and 49a are shifted on swivel plate 22 to their rear end positions. He then applies the two film sections successively in such positions upon the positioning pins 25, 26, and 25a, 260, respectively, that the free ends of these two film sections will project from the opposite sides beyond the center of base 21, that is, beyond the slot 53, and will overlap each other. Previously, that is, after applying one or the other film section upon the respective positioning pins 25, 26 or 25a and 26a, he presses with one finger upon the serrated part of clamping lever 40 or 40a which is located at the side of this film section so as to lift the short clamping arm of this lever, and with the same finger and the same motion he then also shifts the respective clamp slide 49 or 49a forwardly and over the film section and over the respective positioning pins. When he then releases the clamping lever 40 or 40a, it will be pressed by its spring upon the respective film section which will thus be firmly clamped in the desired position upon swivel plate 22. When both film sections have thus been clamped in a position in which their ends overlap each other, cutting lever 57 is pivoted forwardly and downwardly so as to cut both film ends at the same time by means of blades 32 and 34. Thereafter, cutting lever 57 is again pivoted back and swivel plate 22 is pivoted temporarily forwardly together with the properly cut film sections, whereupon the cut-off film ends may be wiped with one finger off the fixed cutting plate 32 and the raised adjacent part of base 21 at the right side of slot 53 and into a recess 68 in base 21 between the bearing brackets 46 and 46a.

For securing the abutting ends of the two film sections to each other, a short strip of an adhesive tape is employed which is of a commercially obtainable, massproduced type. This tape consists of three parts, namely, a thin transparent strip which has an adhesive coating on one side and two cover strips of paper which are angularly folded so as to have two arms. One arm of each cover strip covers one half of the adhesive side of the transparent strip, while the other preferably longer arm serves as a handle for pulling this cover strip off the respective half of the adhesive strip. The center of the entire tape is provided with a row of perforations which are spaced from each other in accordance with the perforations of the row in the film adjacent to one edge thereof. These perforations therefore also extend through the folded edges of the two cover strips.

After the film ends have been cut off and been wiped into the recess 68, the cutting lever 57 and swivel plate 22 with the two abutting film sections thereon are again pivoted toward the rear. The adhesive tape with its cover strips is then placed upon cutting plate 32 and the adjacent raised part of base 21 so that the adhesive side of the transparent strip faces downwardly and the two positioning pins 35 and 35a pass through two of the perforations of the tape. The operator then presses one finger of one hand upon the longer arm of the cover strip which rests on the rear part of cutting plate 32 and the adjacent raised part of the base, and with two fingers of his other hand he pulls the longer arm of the other cover strip forwardly and off the transparent strip the adhesive side of which is thereby glued upon the two abutting ends of the film sections. He then pivots the swivel plate 22 forwardly to the position as shown in FIG. 5, in which the clamp slides 49 and 49a project downwardly into the recesses 31 and 31 a in base 21. The second cover strip of the tape then engages upon and is bent upwardly by the projection 74 of base 21 so as to be more easily gripped. This cover strip is then pulled off toward the rear, whereby the transparent strip is bent over and glued upon the other side of the two abutting film ends. Swivel plate 22 is then again pivoted toward the rear, the rear serrated parts ofthe two clamp slides are depressed to lift their front parts off the film and then by the same motionthe clamp slides are also shifted toward the rear and off the film without touching the same. The film sections which'are then firmly secured to each other on both sides without any overlapping ends and without a gap between them may then be taken off the positioning pins 25, 26, 25a and 26a.

FIG. 8 illustrates a modification of the clamp slides 49 and 490 as previously described in the form of a slide member 27 which has a projection engaging into a recess in the swivel plate 220 and which is slidable in the same manner as one of the clamp slides 49 and 49a. A curved leaf spring 28-which is secured to the slide member 27 tends to hold the latter in engagement with swivel plate 22a. This plate 22a has a small projection 29 and swivel plate 22a has a corresponding recess 30. When this projection 29 engages into recess30, slide member 27 will be in its clamping-position so as to hold limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim is:

l. A film splicer for taping the ends of two film sections in a substantially abutting position to each other comprising a base, a U-shaped swivel plate pivotably mounted on said base, means for pivoting said swivel plate about a pivot axis extending parallelto the plane of said plate to a rear cutting position and to a forward position on said base, a cutting lever pivotably mounted near one end on said base, a cutting blade mounted on said lever, at leastone clamp slide mounted on and slidable along said swivel plate at each lateral side of and spaced from said cutting lever, a depressor lever pivotable near one end about the same axis as, and together with, said cutting lever for pressing at least upon the end of one of said film sections so as to hold it in a fixed position during the cutting stroke of said cutting blade on said cutting lever, and means for guiding said cutting blade at least during its cutting stroke in a direction substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis'of said film sections.

2. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which each upon said side of said plate, means for manually sliding said clampinglever at least while said firstarm is pivoted upwardly from a rear position along said plate in a direction substantially at a right angle to said lon-' gitudinal axis of one of said film sections to a forward clamping position and over said film section, and spring means for pressing said first arm of said clamping lever toward said plate and thus upon said film section.

3. A film splicer as defined in claim 2, in which said means for sliding said clamping lever comprise a slide member on one flat side of said swivel plate, said clamping lever being pivotably mounted on said side of said slide member, said swivel plate having slots, said slide member having a projection extending through and slidable along one of said slots, and a guide member on the other side of said swivel plate and secured to said projection in a manner so as to permit said slide member to be easily slidable along said plate, said spring means extending through said slide member and its opposite ends acting upon said guide member and said clamping lever.

4. A film splicer as defined in claim 3, in which the second arm of said clamping lever has an outer surface facing away from said swivel plate, said surface having a concave shape and finger-gripping serrations in said surface.

5. A film splicer as defined in claim 2, in which each of said clamping levers has a pivot point between the two arms thereof and said first arm has a contact surface near its free end adapted to engage upon one of said film sections when said lever is shifted to one end position over said film section, the opposite surfaces of said swivel plate and of said first arm facing each other having a substantially corresponding projection and recess, said projection on one of said opposite surfaces engaging under the action of said spring means with the opposite surface as long as said lever has not been shifted to said end position so as to prevent said contact surface from engaging directly with said swivel plate and said film section, said projection engaging under the action of said spring means into said recess when said lever has been shifted to said end position for then preventing said contact surface from sliding relative to said film section.

6. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which the upper surface of said base has recesses for receiving the parts of said clamp slides projecting from either side of said swivel plate when said plate is pivoted in either direction so as to rest on said base.

7. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said pivot axis of said swivel plate extends parallel to, but is spaced from the plane of said plate so that, when said plate is pivoted from one to another of two parallel end positions upon parts of said base, said plane of said plate will be located at two different elevations.

8. A film splicer as defined in claim 7, in which said means for pivoting said swivel plate comprise bearing means mounted on said base and means for adjusting said bearing means in the direction of said pivot axis of said plate, said bearing means having at least in said parallel end positions of said plate a sufficient play so as to insure that said plate when in said end positions will rest firmly and uniformly on said parts of said base.

9. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said swivel plate and said base are each provided with at least one centering bore, the axes of said two bores coinciding with each other when said plate is pivoted to one of its end positions.

10. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cutting plate secured to said base and having a cuttingedge extending substantially within the plane of the pivoting movement of said cutting blade on said cutting lever and adapted to extend substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said film sections on said swivel plate, and an inclined guide edge tapering toward the beginning of said cutting edge for guiding said cutting blade during its pivoting movement toward the cutting edge of said cutting plate in the event that the plane of the cutting edge of said cutting blade deviates during said pivoting movement slightly from the plane of the cutting edge of said cutting plate.

11. A film splicer as defined in claim 10, in which said inclined guide edge is integral with said cutting plate.

12. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cutting plate secured to said base and having a cutting edge extending within the plane of the pivoting movement of said cutting blade and adapted to extend substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said-film sections on said swivel plate, anda film supporting surface at one side of said cutting plate having an upper surface disposed at the same level as the upper surfaces of said U-shaped cutting plate and of said swivel plate when pivoted to its cutting position and separated by a slot from said cutting plate, said cutting plate and said supporting surface then being disposed within the U of said swivel plate, said slot being adapted to receive said cutting blade during its cutting stroke, said film supporting surface having an edge facing the cutting edge of said cutting plate, at least the part of said edge of said supporting surface facing said cutting edge being rounded and tapered downwardly so that, when the cutting edge of said cutting blade slides along said cutting edge of said cutting plate so as to cut off the overlapping ends of two film sections along a single straight line, the other noncutting edge of said blade will bend the end of one of said film sections downwardly along said tapered edge and into said slot.

13. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which at least the main part of the length of said cutting lever has a U-shaped cross section with lateral arms and a connecting web between said arms, the open side of said cutting lever facing said base when said cutting lever is pivoted to its cutting position, said cutting blade being mounted on the cutting lever so as to project through said open side thereof.

14. A film splicer as defined in claim 13, in which said depressor lever is located within said cutting lever between said arms thereof, one of said arms of said cutting lever having a slot therein extending substantially at a right angle to said connecting web, and a pinshaped member secured to said depressor lever and extending through and slidable along said slot and alternately adapted to engage with one or the other end of said slot for limiting the extent of the pivoting movement of said depressor lever relative to said cutting lever.

15. A film splicer as defined in claim 14, in which said depressor lever comprises a hold-down member disposed on each lateral side of, but spaced from, said cutting blade and adapted to press resiliently upon said film sections during the cutting stroke of said cutting blade.

16. A film splicer as defined in claim 15, in which at least the end part of said depressor lever which is pivotably mounted on the same axis as said cutting lever has a substantially U-shaped cross section inverted to the U shape cross section inverted to the U shape of said cutting lever and having lateral arms, a connecting web between said arms, and longitudinal extensions on said arms, saidhold-down members being integrally secured to said extensions and forming a pair of flat tabs projecting from said extensions toward each other and having free ends spaced at small distances from the opposite lateral sides of said cutting blade and extending parallel to the common pivot axis of said two levers.

17. A film splicer as defined in claim 16, in which said pivoting means of said cutting lever and said depressor lever comprise at least one bearing bracket secured to said base and having upstanding arms, both of said levers having substantially coaxial bearing bores, a pivot pin extending through said bracket and through said bearing bores, said bearing bores of said depressor lever having a sufficient amount of bearing play relative to said pivot pin so that, if said fiat surfaces of said hold-down members are not exactly parallel to the plane of said swivel plate when moving toward the overlapping ends of said film sections to be cut,- said hold-down members will automatically adjust themselves so as to engage uniformly with said film ends and press resiliently thereon.

18. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said means for pivoting said swivel plate comprise a pair of angular bearing brackets mounted on said base, said base having a recess between said bearing bracketsfor receiving the cut-off ends of said film sections. 

1. A film splicer for taping the ends of two film sections in a substantially abutting position to each other comprising a base, a U-shaped swivel plate pivotably mounted on said base, means for pivoting said swivel plate about a pivot axis extending parallel to the plane of said plate to a rear cutting position and to a forward position on said base, a cutting lever pivotably mounted near one end on said base, a cutting blade mounted on said lever, at least one clamp slide mounted on and slidable along said swivel plate at each lateral side of and spaced from said cutting lever, a depressor lever pivotable near one end about the same axis as, and together with, said cutting lever for pressing at least upon the end of one of said film sections so as to hold it in a fixed position during the cutting stroke of said cutting blade on said cutting lever, and means for guiding said cutting blade at least during its cutting stroke in a direction substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said film sections.
 2. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which each of said clamp slides comprises a two-armed clamping lever having a first arm adapted to be pivoted away from one side of said swivel plate and toward said plate for clamping one of said film sections tightly down upon said side of said plate, means for manually sliding said clamping lever at least while said first arm is pivoted upwardly from a rear position along said plate in a direction substantially at a right angle to said longitudinal axis of one of said film sections to a forward clamping position and over said film section, and spring means for pressing said first arm of said clamping lever toward said plate and thus upon said film section.
 3. A film splicer as defined in claim 2, in which said means for sliding said clamping lever comprise a slide member on one flat side of said swivel plate, said clamping lever being pivotably mounted on said side of said slide member, said swivel plate having slots, said slide member having a projection extending through and slidable along one of said slots, and a guide member on the other side of said swivel plate and secured to said projection in a manner so as to permit said slide member to be easily slidable along said plate, said spring means extending through said slide member and its opposite ends acting upon said guide member and said clamping lever.
 4. A film splicer as defined in claim 3, in which the second arm of said clamping lever has an outer surface facing away from said swivel plate, said surface having a concave shape and finger-gripping serrations in said surface.
 5. A film splicer as defined in claim 2, in which each of said clamping levers has a pivot point between the two arms thereof and said first arm has a contact surface near its free end adapted to engage upon one of said film sections when said lever is shifted to one end position over said film section, the opposite surfaces of said swivel plate and of said first arm facing each other having a substantially corresponding projection and recess, said projection on one of said opposite surfaces engaging under the action of said spring means with the opposite surface as long as said lever has not been shifted to said end position so as to prevent said contact surface from engaging directly with said swivel plate and said film section, said projection engaging under the action of said spring means into said recess when said lever has been shifted to said end position for then preventing said contact surface from sliding relative to said film section.
 6. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which the upper surface of said base has recesses for receiving the parts of said clamp slides projecting from either side of said swivel plate when said plate is pivoted in either direction so as to rest on said base.
 7. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said pivot axis of said swivel plate extends parallel to, but is spaced from the plane of said plate so that, when said plate is pivoted from one to another of two parallel end positions upon parts of said base, said plane of said plate will be located at two different elevations.
 8. A film splicer as defined in claim 7, in which said means for pivoting said swivel plate comprise bearing means mounted on said base and means for adjusting said bearing means in the direction of said pivot axis of said plate, said bearing means having at least in said parallel end positions of said plate a sufficient play so as to insure that said plate when in said end positions will rest firmly and uniformly on said parts of said base.
 9. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said swivel plate and said base are each provided with at least one centering bore, the axes of said two bores coinciding with each other when said plate is pivoted to one of its end positions.
 10. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cutting plate secured to said base and having a cuttingedge extending substantially within the plane of the pivoting movement of said cutting blade on said cutting lever and adapted to extend substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said film sections on said swivel plate, and an inclined guide edge tapering toward the beginning of said cutting edge for guiding said cutting blade during its pivoting movement toward the cutting edge of said cutting plate in the event that the plane of the cutting edge of said cutting blade deviates during said pivoting movement slightly from the plane of the cutting edge of said cutting plate.
 11. A film splicer as defined in claim 10, in which said inclined guide edge is integral with said cutting plate.
 12. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cutting plate secured to said base and having a cutting edge extending within the plane of the pivoting movement of said cutting blade and adapted to extend substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said film sections on said swivel plate, and a film supporting surface at one side of said cutting plate having an upper surface disposed at the same level as the upper surfaces of said U-shaped cutting plate and of said swivel plate when pivoted to its cutting position and separated by a slot from said cutting plate, said cutting plate and said supporting surface then being disposed within the U of said swivel plate, said slot being adapted to receive said cutting blade during its cutting stroke, said film supporting surface having an edge facing the cutting edge of said cutting plate, at least the part of said edge of said supporting surface facing said cutting edge being rounded and tapered downwardly so that, when the cutting edge of said cutting blade slides along said cutting edge of said cutting plate so as to cut off the overlapping ends of two film sections along a single straight line, the other noncutting edge of said blade will bend the end of one of said film sections downwardly along said tapered edge and into said slot.
 13. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which at least the main part of the length of said cutting lever has a U-shaped cross section with lateral arms and a connecting web between said arms, the open side of said cutting lever facing said base when said cutting lever is pivoted to its cutting position, said cutting blade being mounted on the cutting lever so as to project through said open side thereof.
 14. A film splicer as defined in claim 13, in which said depressor lever is locateD within said cutting lever between said arms thereof, one of said arms of said cutting lever having a slot therein extending substantially at a right angle to said connecting web, and a pin-shaped member secured to said depressor lever and extending through and slidable along said slot and alternately adapted to engage with one or the other end of said slot for limiting the extent of the pivoting movement of said depressor lever relative to said cutting lever.
 15. A film splicer as defined in claim 14, in which said depressor lever comprises a hold-down member disposed on each lateral side of, but spaced from, said cutting blade and adapted to press resiliently upon said film sections during the cutting stroke of said cutting blade.
 16. A film splicer as defined in claim 15, in which at least the end part of said depressor lever which is pivotably mounted on the same axis as said cutting lever has a substantially U-shaped cross section inverted to the U shape cross section inverted to the U shape of said cutting lever and having lateral arms, a connecting web between said arms, and longitudinal extensions on said arms, said hold-down members being integrally secured to said extensions and forming a pair of flat tabs projecting from said extensions toward each other and having free ends spaced at small distances from the opposite lateral sides of said cutting blade and extending parallel to the common pivot axis of said two levers.
 17. A film splicer as defined in claim 16, in which said pivoting means of said cutting lever and said depressor lever comprise at least one bearing bracket secured to said base and having upstanding arms, both of said levers having substantially coaxial bearing bores, a pivot pin extending through said bracket and through said bearing bores, said bearing bores of said depressor lever having a sufficient amount of bearing play relative to said pivot pin so that, if said flat surfaces of said hold-down members are not exactly parallel to the plane of said swivel plate when moving toward the overlapping ends of said film sections to be cut, said hold-down members will automatically adjust themselves so as to engage uniformly with said film ends and press resiliently thereon.
 18. A film splicer as defined in claim 1, in which said means for pivoting said swivel plate comprise a pair of angular bearing brackets mounted on said base, said base having a recess between said bearing brackets for receiving the cut-off ends of said film sections. 